1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transcutaneous portal device including a portal body that includes a recess delimited by a peripheral wall and a bottom wall that includes a through-passing opening which receives a catheter. A tubular element has an end-portion which is inserted into the end-portion of the catheter. The portal arrangement includes clamping means for clamping the end-portion of the tubular element against the bottom wall around the through-passing opening so as to tightly clamp the outer and the inner wall of the catheter around the edge of the opening and around the periphery of the end-portion of the tubular element respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
WO-89/06897 teaches a transcutaneous portal device that includes a sealing coupling or union for releasably connecting in the portal one end part of an outer conduit and one end part of a catheter. The catheter extends into the body interior.
The portal itself, which is also described in PCT SE-87/00201 for instance, is suitably comprised of titanium and has generally the form of a cup whose wall carries on its outside a ring flange that preferably includes slots and openings that facilitate stable tissue ingrowth. The upper edge portion of the cup carries a thread, which co-acts with a corresponding thread on a cap or lid. An elastic sealing plug can be inserted into the cup so as to essentially fill-out the same. The body can be compressed axially with the aid of the cap thread joint, wherewith the body swells radially and seals against and around the inner wall of the cup, therewith effectively closing the central channel in the plug. An outer conduit can be forced through the plug channel and therewith placed in communication with the bottom space of the cup beneath the plug.
A catheter extends through an opening in the bottom wall of the cup/portal. Resting on the inner side of the bottom wall is a plate that includes an opening for the end portion of the catheter. This catheter end portion includes a head, which prevents the catheter from being drawn out through the plate opening.
When the cap or lid has been opened and the plug removed, the plate can be gripped and lifted up and the catheter therewith drawn out through the portal via the bottom opening.
The bottom wall includes on the outside around the transit opening a nipple to which a hose is fitted. The inner diameter of the hose is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the catheter, so as to form a gap seal therebetween. The gap seal between portal and the patient's body must be sufficiently large to enable the catheter to be readily drawn through the hose both with regard to insertion and withdrawal.